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The Medicare IRMAA Cliff: How a TSP Withdrawal Can Bite Back Two Years Later

IRMAA — the added monthly cost tacked onto your Medicare Part B and Part D premiums when your income crosses certain thresholds — rarely shows up because of one obvious mistake. It’s usually a Traditional TSP withdrawal, an RMD, a Roth in-plan conversion, or even a final-year annual leave payout stacking on top of your FERS annuity and Social Security. Cross the income threshold by even $1, and a married couple can owe nearly $2,300 in extra Medicare premiums two years later. This guide breaks down how the 2026 IRMAA brackets work, why the bill always arrives two years after the decision that caused it, and how retirement itself may qualify you for a lower premium under Form SSA-44. It also walks through five questions to ask yourself before any TSP withdrawal or Roth conversion — plus a free downloadable checklist and worksheet to help you run your own numbers — so you can see the Medicare impact coming instead of finding it in the mail. more…

The TSP G Fund Is Safe From Market Losses — But Not From Inflation

The TSP’s G Fund protects your savings from market losses — its balance won’t decline when stocks fall or bond prices drop. But that protection doesn’t guarantee your savings will keep pace with inflation. When prices rise faster than the G Fund’s return, your account can hold more dollars while buying less than it used to. This guide’s analysis compares official G Fund returns with federal inflation data and examines the trade-off between market safety and long-term growth. It also considers how your retirement timeline, withdrawal plans and ability to tolerate market declines can affect the role the G Fund plays in your TSP. more…

Why 62 Is the Magic Age for FERS Employees to Retire

Age 62 can be an important turning point for FERS employees. If you retire at 62 or later with at least 20 years of service, the multiplier used to calculate your pension increases — potentially providing a 10% larger basic benefit. You also become eligible for Social Security and can begin receiving FERS cost-of-living adjustments without waiting. Chris Kowalik explains why these advantages may make 62 worth considering when choosing your retirement date. more…

IRS and Social Security Suspend Advanced Leave — What It Means If You’re Counting Down to Retirement

Both agencies have stopped approving advanced annual and sick leave — a benefit that’s functioned as informal short-term disability coverage for employees facing a medical emergency before they’ve banked enough leave to cover it. The bigger question for anyone eyeing a retirement date: if you’ve ever used advanced leave, you could owe it back out of your final paycheck. This guide breaks down what OPM’s rules actually require, what alternatives remain, and what it means to check your own leave balance now — before you’re the one who needs it. more…

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Guides & Helpful Resources

2026 Federal Pay Raise - GS Pay Scale